Bakers Journal August/September 2017 : Page 30

¦ tech talk ¦ BY ALAN DUMONCEAUX LAMINATING TRENDS New trends in laminating are shaking up the way layers are counted and the mouthfeel of the finished product. I n recent years, you have likely seen amazing laminated dough pictures posted online by many great bakers. Lately, the layers are thicker in the finished products. The result is very defined layers of dough separated by the butter. Traditionally croissants were lamin-ated by covering 1/2 of the dough with butter, (known as the French lock in method of fat incorporation) and then giving three single folds or commonly referred to as three half turns. Some may argue that the croissants made using this technique provided the most tender or “short” croissant – very flakey with minimal resistance in chew, especially The thicker the layer the more resistance when fresh. you have in your bite and chew. Some may The “classic” way view this as a fault. Is it a fault or is it just resulted in 55 layers a current new trend in laminating? of dough and butter. I sants will reveal very pronounced layers. should point out that how layers of The challenge is that upon cooling the laminated dough are counted by many top thick layer tends to always break and has changed slightly. The difference flake off. Extreme care and attention in being, when dough layers touch dough layers, which would have been previously handling the baked croissants is neces-sary or your showcase will be full of counted as two layers is now only counted as one layer, which is technically damaged croissants. Once again, the mouthfeel of the just a thicker layer. Previously the French lock in and three single turns would have croissant with only 33 layers too sum will be tougher. The thicker the layer then been counted to 81 layers, but now you more resistance you have in your bite subtract two layers for every single fold and chew. Some may view this as a fault. or half turn. As you fold the dough into Is it a fault or is it just a current new three, twice the dough touches dough, trend in laminating? resulting in a minus two in the count, Bakers are experimenting with a which is now the newer method of variety of different layer combinations. counting layers. To recap: Traditional The traditional French with three singles count with French lock in: Three layers is only but one option the baker has for – lock in x 3 = 9 x 3 = 27 x 3 = 81 total laminating croissants and Danish dough. layers. New method: Three layers – lock in x 3 = 9 – 2 = 7 x 3 = 21 -2 = 19 x 3 = 57 You can laminate down to only 25 layers if you want even thicker layers, this is – 2 = 55 total layers. achieved by using a French lock in with In the case of a book fold you would subtract three layers after each book fold. one book and single fold. (3 x 4 – 3 = 9 x 3 = 27 -2 = 25 total layers) Remember a The classic puff pastry for 1280 layers – byproduct of these very thick layers is a hence the name Mille Feuille, was certain amount of butter pooling around counted like this using an English lock in: English lock in 5 layers x 4 = 20 x 4 = the base of the product as it bakes, which } 80 x 4 = 320 x 4 = 1280 total layers. English lock in 5 layers x 4 = 20 – 3 = 17 x 4 = 68 – 3 = 65 x 4 = 260 – 3 = 257 x 4 = 1028 total layers. This brings us to laminating a dough, which results in only 33 layers. This creates a dough with very pronounced layers. French lock in = 3 layers x 1 book fold -4 layers = 12 – = 9 x 1 book fold or 4 = 36 – 3 = 33 layers. The last key part of the new trend is to not take the dough down too thin in the final sheeting, anywhere from six to 12mm. Of course, if you only sheet to 12mm, you will end with much more pronounced layers which are much thicker versus going down to 6mm. The final product will have a distinct-ive difference in chew or mouthfeel. It will certainly not be like a tender flaky croissant. You can continue with this same lock in, folds, and sheet down to 3mm and make croissants. Your crois-1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Dough Butter Dough French Lock in 3 Layers Folded into 3 9 layer, -2 layers where the dough 1 thicker touches Layer Dough dough 1 thicker Layer Dough Folded into 3 7 layer, – become 21-2 layers = 19 some view as a fault. We have 25 layers, then 33 layers, the next sequence moving up is 37 layers, which is English lock in with two single turns. The next sequence is English with one single and one double (5 x 3 = 15 – 2 = 13 x 4 = 52 – 3 = 49 layers. Then the traditional 55 layers from a French lock in and 3 single turns. This is certainly not the only possibil-ity of layers. You can also take the 25 layers and fold in half and end up with 49 layers, subtract the one layer where the dough touches dough. We are also seeing a great deal of colour layers in laminated doughs, mostly red and chocolate. For chocolate, you add 10 per cent cocoa to a brioche dough. Most other coloured doughs are achieved by adding food colours. Once all of your folds are in, egg wash the top of your laminated dough block. Sheet down to 12mm, then sheet your coloured dough down to 2mm and layer together. Once you add the coloured dough, freeze for about 10 minutes before sheeting down to 3mm for your final product shaping. If you want to maintain a brilliant colour, you have to bake at a low temperature, slightly under bake and then you can have a rich second colour to your product. / BJ Alan Dumonceaux, C.B.S., is a member of Baking Team Canada and chair of the baking certificate program and the school of hospitality and culinary arts at NAIT. www.bakersjournal.com 30 BAKERS JOURNAL / AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2017